I'm Not Going Anywhere
by icameheretowinry
Summary: A short but fully-loaded angsty, fluffy Royai fic, because I can. I hope you enjoy!
1. Chapter 1

The first thing Roy noticed was the darkness, then an ominous chill that settled heavily in his bones – locking his joints and numbing his thoughts. It was like being swallowed whole by the night itself.

'Where am I?' he thought as he took a cautious step forward in the inky expanse.

Suddenly, with the soft screech of metal on metal, a tangle of pipes grew visible above him – snaking their way into the distance. A primordial fear flowed through his veins. He knew this place…

His combat boots echoed loudly as he followed the pipes towards an uncertain horizon.

'This isn't right,' Roy thought, 'Where is everyone? Fullmetal? The chimeras? Scar? The gold-toothed doctor and his men? The Lieuten- ?

His thoughts were cut short as that horrible, taunting voice thundered inside his head. Roy's expression screwed into a scowl he tried to box his ears to silence it.

" _WE'VE RUN OUT OF TIME._ "

Roy's eyes flew open as the gold-toothed doctor's warning inflamed his memories of the Promised Day.

'No… no…' he thought frantically, 'Not again!"

"Lieutenant?"

His voice was quickly suffocated by the endless darkness. He spun around wildly, looking for a something – anything. Yet, everywhere, the nightmare looked the same.

Suddenly, she was there at his feet – the wound on her neck blossoming like a deadly crimson flower.

" _LIEUTENANT!_ "

Roy fell to his knees, trying to ignore the moisture seeping into the fabric of her coat. Riza lay motionless, only the red halo around her quietly grew. Without hesitation, Roy gathered her into his arms. Her blond head rested heavily again his chest.

" _LIEUTENANT HAWKEYE, OPEN YOUR EYES!_ "

He held her closer as he yelled into the darkness. All the obscurity offered in return was malignant silence.

"Riza… Please…" he begged softly.

He pulled away and studied her expressionless face, gently brushing a stray tendril of her golden hair behind her ear.

"Riza… Don't go…"

Then, the world shattered like glass around them.

Roy bolted up in bed with a strangled sigh, his raven hair plastered to his forehead and yesterday's clothing wrinkled beyond recognition. No matter how much oxygen he drew into his lungs from his moonlight-splashed bedroom, it still felt like he was drowning. He massaged the bridge of his nose as he tried to settle the hurricane brewing inside his head.

'You fool,' he thought bitterly, 'Thinking all of this would go away when this country was finally at peace…'

The tattered remains of the nightmare refused to disappear. Then, without a thought, Roy leapt out of bed, threw his black trench coat over his shoulders, and slipped out the door of his apartment into the night. The cobblestone streets of Central were tinged nearly blue in the moonlight, and periodically punctuated with the soft glow of a streetlamp. Although he walked quickly, Roy couldn't remember the last time he thought the city possessed any inkling of beauty. He secretly hoped some of that faint light would linger awhile near the edge of the black hole the tortuous dream burned in his heart.


	2. Chapter 2

"Wha- ?" Riza mumbled as she struggled to open her eyes against the weight of sleep.

Black Hayate quit licking her face and yipped happily before leaping off the bed. The tinkling of the tags on his collar fell harshly on Riza's ears. He quickly disappeared through the bedroom door. Riza sat up and flicked on her bedside lamp. She rubbed her eyes with the sleeve of her blue and white striped pajamas.

'He never wants to go out this late,' she thought groggily.

Hayate stuck his head back into the bedroom, his pink tongue hanging lazily out of his mouth. He yipped again.

"Hayate!" whispered Riza fiercely, "No barking inside!"

He hung his head and disappeared down the hallway. Suddenly, Riza heard a soft knock at her door.

'That must be what he was excited about,' she reasoned.

Riza slowly crawled out of bed and tiptoed towards the door to her apartment. Hayate excitedly weaved his way between her legs as she walked. She hardly glanced through the peephole before she whipped the door open.

"C-Colonel?"

Roy couldn't meet her gaze. Riza noted his messier than usual hair and wrinkled white button-down. A loosened red tie hung askew around his neck.

"Are you— ?"

"No," he replied quickly.

"Then—"

"I – I couldn't sleep…"

Riza's breath caught in her throat when Roy finally looked up. The pain in his eyes smothered her words before they had a chance to be heard. She hadn't seen that look since, well, Maes.

"Roy?"

Suddenly, Roy leaned forward and wrapped his arms around her. Riza's eyes widened. She didn't move.

"I dreamt that I… That I lost you… Almost like before…"

She felt his tears, cool against the scar on her neck, and she wrapped her arms around him in return.

"Don't worry," she whispered, a reassuring smile forming upon her lips, "I'm not going anywhere."


End file.
